Atlanta News First

Georgia voters have shattered virtually every early and advance voting record, as the historic Nov. 5, 2024, election draws nearer. The road to the Oval Office runs through the Peach State, as former President Donald Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris continue their quest to make history in this year's presidential election. Dr. Ben Taylor, professor of political science at Kennesaw State...

Atlanta's trial of the 21st century continues to shock and amaze, as superstar rapper Young Thug is still facing charges of organized crime and racketeering. This past week has seen star witness Antonio Sledge's (aka Mounk Tounk) bond revoked; Young Thug attorney Brian Steel's contempt of court was reversed by the Supreme Court of Georgia; and prosecutors also want to revoke the pro...

“Picklebacklash” and doggie daycare drama were the major themes of this week’s Decatur Dish show. Decatur Dish, co-hosted by Atlanta News First's Mariya Murrow and Decaturish Founder Dan Whisenhunt, airs every Tuesday on ANF+ at 12:30 p.m. Download our Atlanta News First app for the latest news and information.

Witness testimony was set to resume Friday in Young Thug’s internationally watched criminal trial as the jury was set to return after a days-long hiatus. But before the jury was set to return, Fulton County Superior Court Judge Paige Reese Whitaker blasted District Attorney Fani Willis for an email that was apparently copied to the court, and demanded the email be entered into evidence. Download o...

The Avondale Estates City Commission is considering implementing regulations on the pickleball courts that could include foam balls and a $5 fee for non-resident players.  Decaturish Assistant Editor Zoe Seiler breaks down the latest stories making news in DeKalb County in this installment of "Explain it to me like I'm 5."  Download our Atlanta News First app for the latest news and...

More than a week after a chemical plume erupted from the BioLab facility in Conyers, health and safety concerns remain high for many in the surrounding communities. Residents in Rockdale County had to shelter in place and thousands evacuated after the Sept. 29, 2024, incident. A sprinkler at the plant on Old Covington Highway in Conyers malfunctioned and sprayed water on a chemical, causing a reac...

Hurricane Helene's damage to Florida and Georgia left communities torn apart. As Hurricane Milton approaches, dealing with mental health becomes most important. Mental Health Expert Lex Remillard with Altior Healthcare joins ANF+ to talk about navigating the mental load of high-stress events like hurricanes and catastrophic events.  Download our Atlanta News First app for the latest news and...

Georgia prison officials are “deliberately indifferent” to unchecked deadly violence and abuse within the state's correctional facilities, the U.S. Justice Department said. Federal investigators shared concerning findings from an investigation launched back in 2016. The 93-page report looked at Georgia's 34 state prisons where inmates serve their sentences after a conviction. The DOJ all...

A class-action lawsuit has been filed against BioLab over a chemical fire that started on Sunday. The fire erupted after a sprinkler inside the BioLab plant on Old Covington Highway in Conyers malfunctioned and sprayed water on a chemical. After the fire was extinguished, a thick plume of smoke with traces of dangerous chlorine gas began drifting over Rockdale County. Residents have been ordered t...

An environmental justice group said their air quality readings are concerning following a chemical fire at BioLab in Rockdale County. The Environmental Equity Information Institute, or E2i2, said they used their air monitor to test the quality outside their DeKalb County office. The nonprofit works to ensure local leaders can access data to make critical decisions in situations like a chemical fir...

Ohio US Sen. JD Vance and Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz met for their first - and possibly last - vice presidential debate on Tuesday night. Dr. Charles Bullock III of the University of Georgia breaks down the debate and where the 2024 presidential election race stands in the Peach State with Digital Producer Tim Darnell. Full political coverage from Atlanta News First: https://www.atlantanewsfirst.com/...

DeKalb County officials said they are testing the air quality throughout the day, adding that there are currently no advisories concerning air quality from the Georgia Environmental Protection Division for DeKalb County. Residents are advised to call 311 to report any air quality concerns.  Atlanta News First and Decaturish take you through the latest news making headlines. Download our Atlanta Ne...

The Georgia Hemp Farming Act goes into effect on Oct. 1, 2024, placing restrictions on hemp products made and sold in the Peach State. Gary Long, CEO of One59 and Botanical Sciences, talks with Digital Producer Tim Darnell on what it means for Georgians. Read the full story here: https://www.atlantanewsfirst.com/2024/09/30/georgia-hemp-farming-act-goes-into-effect-oct-1-heres-what-it-means/ Downlo...

Gov. Kemp declared a state of emergency for all 159 Georgia counties, enabling emergency management teams to make necessary arrangements and position needed resources ahead of the storm’s impact. With Hurricane Helene expected to push through north Georgia Thursday night into Friday, conditions could approach that of 2009 Austell when heavy rains flooded parts of the city under more than a dozen f...

Georgia’s Insurance and Safety Fire Commissioner John King is warning residents to protect their property as now-Hurricane Helene nears landfall and Georgia remains in its storm path. Preparation is key to avoid unnecessary problems after big storms. Before Helene arrives, King suggested saving important documents, like birth certificates, insurance policies and loading them to the cloud for safek...

Hurricane Helene is expected to bring significant impacts to Georgia, including flooding rain, strong winds, and isolated severe storms. The National Hurricane Center has Helene making landfall as a category 4 hurricane. Atlanta News First continues to monitor the airport and provide updates throughout the storm. Download our Atlanta News First app for the latest news and information.

The Georgia state elections board has passed a rule requiring ballots in this year's Nov. 5 presidential election to be counted by hand. But opponents are up in arms over this 11th hour requirement. Susannah Goodman, director of election security programs at Common Cause Georgia, talks with Digital Producer Tim Darnell on why her organization thinks this will lead to even more potential for c...

 Young Thug’s internationally watched criminal trial in Atlanta resumed one day after an attorney representing a key witness pleaded for his release from jail. On Friday, Quindarrius Zachary – aka D, Dee and Lil’ D – was arrested and booked into the Fulton County Jail. His attorney Dennis Schieb says Zachary was moved to Grady Memorial Hospital after concerns for his health at the jail and is curr...

Young Thug’s internationally watched criminal trial in Atlanta just got more intense. Quindarrius Zachary – aka D, Dee and Lil’ D – was arrested and booked into the Fulton County Jail. His attorney said Zachary was moved to Grady Memorial Hospital after concerns for his health at the jail and is currently being held in custody there. Atlanta Attorney Erica Wilson weighed in on the latest developme...

Businessman, entrepreneur and philanthropist Bradley Tusk is the author of "Vote With Your Phone: Why Mobile Voting Is Our Final Shot At Saving Democracy." He talks with ANF+ Digital Producer Tim Darnell on why being able to cast your ballot via cell phone is the last best hope at creating bipartisan political governance. How secure would your ballot be? What are the challenges to implem...

One day after another setback in her efforts to criminally prosecute former President Donald Trump, Fulton County DA Fani Willis on Friday defied a special Georgia Senate committee’s subpoena to testify before it. Atlanta Attorney Josh Schiffer weighs in.  Download our Atlanta News First app for the latest news and information.

 A Gwinnett County student was arrested on Friday morning for bringing a loaded semi-automatic gun to school, according to officials. The unidentified Duluth Middle School student showed the 9mm pistol to other students on the bus, according to Gwinnett County Public Schools Police Chief Tony Lockard. The other children told police what happened, leading to the student’s arrest. Download our Atlan...

Atlanta Fire and Rescue Public Information Officer Anare Holmes and ATL 311's Director of Customer Service Delivery Team Joy Quarles join Atlanta News First to talk September safety tips and city resources available to residents.  Download our Atlanta News First app for the latest news and information.

Tensions skyrocketed this week in the Fulton County courtroom where Atlanta’s trial of the 21st century is taking place, as Antonio Sledge (aka Mounk Tounk) continued to backtrack statements he’d given to prosecutors in Young Thug’s judicial proceeding. Sledge was hammered by Fulton County Assistant District Attorney Adrianne Love on his previous statements to police about an April 28, 2015, drive...

The father of the suspected shooter who allegedly killed four people and injured nine others in last week’s metro Atlanta school shooting is facing the stiffest charges ever leveled against the parent of a juvenile charged in such a deadly attack. Colin Gray , 54, was charged this past Friday with four counts of involuntary manslaughter; two counts of second-degree murder; and eight counts of crue...